“Show Your Soft Side” is a public service campaign developed to combat the alarming incidence of animal abuse in Baltimore. Launched in September 2011, its goal was to change the mindset of young people who often view the maiming and torturing of defenseless cats and dogs as a sign of “toughness” or “manhood.” The SYSS campaign puts forth a very different message—that “being a man” has many facets, including a soft side when it comes to animals. Featuring acknowledged hard men of Baltimore with their pets, the campaign delivers its message without ambiguity: REAL MEN DO NOT HURT ANIMALS; ONLY PUNKS DO. It is a message that has struck a nerve with people in Baltimore and around the world.